Chapter 80: Evolution Island (VI)

“Oh, so you want to hand over all your musket bullets to me, is that it?” Luo Hanya rolled his eyes, nostrils flared upward in disdain. “Who cares about you now! You’re nothing but a fish on the chopping block. I can kill you any way I please, and once you’re dead, everything you own is mine.”

“You can’t kill me! My father—” The dwarf cried out in agony, but seemed to realize he’d said the wrong thing. He forcibly swallowed his words and quickly switched to a fawning tone, “Hero, if you kill me, you’ll only get a handful of bullets and a weapon you can’t use. But if you let me live, I’ll tell you a secret!”

“Hmph! What kind of secret could an ugly, stupid dwarf possibly have?” Luo Hanya’s eyes flashed coldly, his lips curled in a mocking smile as he studied the dwarf.

“I know the secret of the volcano!” the dwarf shrieked. “There’s a corpse of an ancient demon atop the volcano! The whole body is a treasure! If you let me live, I’ll tell you how to find the demon’s corpse!”

“Ha! Who’s to say you’re telling the truth? An ancient demon? You’re quite the storyteller.” At the mention of ‘ancient demon,’ Luo Hanya’s heart began to race, his mouth went dry, but he betrayed no excitement. Instead, he wore the look of a man ready to kill at any moment.

“It’s true! I swear to the Dwarven God, everything I’ve said is the truth!” The dwarf’s voice was shrill, “If I lie, may I never wield a forging hammer again!”

Luo Hanya’s eyes gleamed, and he laughed heartily. “Very well, I’ll trust you! Lead the way to this so-called ancient demon!”

“Uh,” the dwarf stammered, caught off guard by Luo Hanya’s abrupt change of mood—from murderous to cheerful in a blink. “Could I have my musket back?”

“Oh? You mean this?” Luo Hanya waved the extraordinary-looking musket in his hand and smiled. “Let me keep it for now. If you lead me somewhere suspicious, I’ll make sure to take this thing with me to the grave.”

The dwarf was on the verge of tears. “Just promise you’ll keep your word! I’ll lead you, but you must let me go and return all my belongings!”

“As long as you cooperate, everything’s negotiable!” Luo Hanya patted the dwarf’s shoulder, smiling warmly. “But if you try any tricks—”

The dwarf stared at Luo Hanya, who now seemed as dreadful as a demon, and shook his head frantically. “No tricks! No tricks at all!”

“Hmm? Make sure you mean it.” Luo Hanya gave the dwarf a meaningful look. “Lead the way!”

“Yes, yes! This way, this way!”

Luo Hanya followed behind the dwarf, pausing now and then to scan his surroundings, memorizing the route. Though the dwarf insisted he wouldn’t dare, Luo Hanya was not in the habit of entrusting his life to others; caution was always wise.

Night was falling by the time they reached the foot of the mountain; the surroundings were nearly invisible. Luo Hanya frowned and halted. “How much farther?”

“About another hour or two,” the dwarf replied, trembling as he glanced at Luo Hanya.

“An hour or two? Is it one hour, or two? You’re not planning anything, are you?” Luo Hanya pressed.

“No! Absolutely not!” The dwarf nearly dropped to his knees, his face twisted in misery.

“Good. Do you have anything to light the way?” Luo Hanya eyed the dwarf. “If you’re thinking of slipping away in the dark—”

“I wouldn’t dare! Besides,” the dwarf cast a furtive glance at Luo Hanya, speaking cautiously, “you have my musket. What would be the point of running?”

“Glad you understand.” Luo Hanya nodded. “So, how do we light the path?”

The dwarf rummaged through some hidden fold in his clothing and produced a helmet that glowed softly. He handed it over reluctantly to Luo Hanya. “This is a Twilight Helmet, a signature piece of Ailock.”

Name: Twilight Helmet
Type: Armor
Quality: Excellent
Defense: Weak
Attribute: Light
Special Effect: Grants brief invisibility for fifteen seconds when activated.
Note: The proud creation of Master Dwarf Ailock.

Luo Hanya took the helmet, intrigued by its gentle glow, and quietly examined its properties.

“Ailock! Are you trying to get yourself killed?” After inspecting the Twilight Helmet, Luo Hanya suddenly glared at the dwarf, his expression fierce.

“Huh? I haven’t done anything!” the dwarf replied instinctively, startled.

“Heh, Master Dwarf Ailock—impressive!” Luo Hanya’s smile was ambiguous, his gaze eager. “Hand over your storage ring.”

“You—” A flash of anger crossed the dwarf’s eyes, then faded. “Fine! Take it! So long as you spare me, you can have everything I own!”

He fumbled for a long moment before producing a pitch-black ring. He glanced at it with reluctance, then turned away and handed it to Luo Hanya in bitter resignation.

Name: Pitch-Black Spatial Ring
Type: Special Item
Quality: Perfect
Effect: Activates to create a twenty-slot storage space
Note: A ring imbued with spatial power, though its black hue suggests it’s been tainted by something strange.

Stripped of all his possessions, the dwarf seemed to age decades, his spirit utterly depleted. He hung his head and trudged up the mountain.

“Beyond that door lies our destination. Let’s go in.” After walking for a full hour and a half, Luo Hanya finally saw a massive door before him—over ten meters tall and four meters wide. One side was shrouded in swirling black mist, the other stood open.

The moment Luo Hanya’s gaze fell upon the door, a chill ran through him, as if something was watching.

“This is the Demon Gate, leading to the ancient demon,” the dwarf said, his back to Luo Hanya, voice grave.

“You—” Suddenly the world dimmed before Luo Hanya’s eyes, his body slipping from his control. He glared at the dwarf in fury. “What have you done!”

“All because of your greed.” The dwarf turned, a relaxed smile on his face. He rose on tiptoe and danced a twirling step around Luo Hanya. “Since when are spatial rings black? Foolish human.”